Sending Kids to School With Meds

What should you do if your child is well enough to go to school but needs to take medication while there?

With a little bit of effort, cooperation and monitoring, you can ensure that your child is getting the proper care at school.

The goal is to keep children in school because the more you keep them in school, the more they are learning. If they are sick enough to infect others and are too sick to be learning, they really do need to be home so they can recoup quickly and return to school.

Tips to follow

The American Academy of Pediatrics and National Association of School Nurses (NASN) recommends you follow these steps to ensure all goes well with your child getting medication while at school:

• First, contact your school nurse or principal. They can explain the rules your school follows for handling and distributing medicine. Ask to see a copy of your school's policy, and see if it complies with approved medical practices in your state. Your school should handle and distribute over-the-counter and prescription medication the same way to ensure that children are not overmedicated.

• Find out who is responsible for administering medication in your school and what medical training they have.

• Deliver the medication yourself in the original container to the school nurse or office. Your child should not carry medicine in school unless he or she has doctor's approval to self-medicate or has medicine for a chronic condition, such as asthma.

• Put it in writing. If your child has prescription medication for a specific illness, you'll need a note from your child's doctor with the name of the drug, dosage, the times when the medication is to be taken, possible side effects and the reason for the medication. A similar note, either from a parent or doctor, is advisable for any over-the-counter medication your child is taking for an illness. You also can provide written permission for the school nurse to administer over-the-counter remedies when necessary in case of a headache, menstrual cramps or similar ailments that would not normally keep your child out of school.

• Tell your child never to share prescription or over-the-counter medication with another student. That could lead to an accidental overdose, suspension or expulsion from school.

• Keep natural and homeopathic remedies at home. The active ingredients in these substances often are not listed, so it's potentially dangerous and unethical for school nurses to administer them.

• Tell the nurse about any special considerations for storing the medication, such as a need for refrigeration. Ask that all medicine be kept in a locked container.

• Know how your child will get the medication. Will someone call your child to the school office, or will he or she have to remember to get the medication?

• Call the nurse or your child's teacher periodically to find out if your child is getting the medication according to your instructions. Schools often keep a medication log that you can check.

• Update your child's medical history forms as needed. Share information about your child's general health and any medications given at home with teachers, nurses and administrators.

• Allow your child to be an active participant in his or her medication regimen. Be certain that your child knows what the medication looks like and how much and how often it should be given. Doing this will help your child know if he or she is getting the wrong medication or incorrect dosage at school.

Sources:

National Association of School Nurses

American Academy of Pediatrics

This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.